1. Field of Art
This invention relates to the improvement of the header on an agricultural combine. More specifically, the invention is an adjustment mechanism for the center feed fingers on an auger for an agricultural combine.
2. Description of Prior Art
Mechanical harvesting of grain has taken place for decades. However, efforts continue in the attempt to make harvesting operations more efficient and effective. A combine harvester generally includes a header, which cuts the crop. The header then moves the cut crop into a feeder house. The feeder house lifts the cut crop into the threshing, separation and cleaning areas of the combine. The grain is separated from the stalk by a rotor or cylinder threshing system. The grain is then separated and moved and stored in a grain tank. The chaff and trash are deposited from the rear of the combine. The grain stored in the grain tank is eventually discharged through a grain tank unload tube. An operator usually runs these various operations from a glass-enclosed cab. Typically, the cab is located above and behind the header and feederhouse. There are a variety of agricultural combines harvesters and their operations are well known in the art. For examples of such harvesters reference U.S. Pat. No. 4,846,198 which illustrates the conventional and twin rotor threshing and separating systems of a harvester as well as other major systems of the harvester. See also the New Holland Super Conventional Combines TX(trademark) 66, TX(trademark) 68, the New Holland TWIN ROTOR(copyright) combines TR(copyright) 89 and TR(copyright)99 for examples of existing conventional and twin rotor harvesters. U.S. Pat. No. 4,332,262 also illustrates the primary systems of a conventional harvester. For further details regarding various agricultural harvester systems review U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,522,553, 4,800,711, 4,866,920, 4,907,402, 4,967,544 and 5,155,984. See also the New Holland corn head model 996 and the New Holland grain belt header model 994 for details regarding headers.
Focusing on the header 5 of the combine there is a transverse auger surrounded by auger flighting. Beneath the auger is the header floor and auger trough. Behind the auger is a stripper bar. After the sicklebar cuts the crop, the crop is moved from the outer ends of the header to the center by the auger flightingxe2x80x94preferably though the auger trough. From the center of the header, the crop is fed into the feederhouse. An elevator consisting of a series of chains and slats raises the cut grain from the header into the threshing and separating systems of the combine. To assist the orderly and efficient movement of the cut crop towards the center of the header, a series of auger fingers are used. It should be noted that it is desirable for the crop to be cut and pushed by the auger flighting through the auger trough to the center of the header. It is damaging for the same crop material to pass repeatedly over the top of the auger and be pushed again by the auger flighting. Furthermore, the smooth flow of crop through the header allows the combine to travel at greater speeds and process more crop in less time. To help limit damage and control the movement of the crop material, auger fingers are attached to an offset shaft positioned within the auger. The fingers periodically extend through the auger and pull the crop at a proper rate away from the sicklebar and beneath the auger into the trough. The fingers are offset so that when the crop is cut by the sicklebar it is pulled beneath the auger onto the floor of the header. A stripper bar behind the auger also attempts to prevent the crop from repeatedly going over the top of the auger. The angle of the auger fingers is adjustable relative to the bottom floor of the header depending the amount of crop the header is experiencing. For instance, in heavy crop conditions, the tips of the auger fingers are angled towards the floor. In this manner, the auger fingers more xe2x80x98aggressivelyxe2x80x99 pull the crop beneath the auger. In light crop conditions, the tips of the auger fingers are adjusted to point more upwardly from the floor. This prevents the crop from being too aggressively pulled beneath the auger and possibly over the top of the auger. Adjusting the tips of the auger fingers to assist in the proper flow of crop is well known by those skilled in the art. However, presently the auger fingers are mounted on a single offset shaft. Because of the different amounts of crop present at different points in the header it is difficult to effectively adjust the auger fingers. For example, as more crop enters the header and is pushed towards the center. This results in the area in front of the feederhouse becoming saturated with crop. If the auger fingers are adjusted to the aggressive position so as to avoid this problem at the center of the header, then crop at the outsides of the header is pulled too quickly beneath the auger resulting in the crop material passing over the top of the header. Again, this is disruptive to the smooth flow of the crop through the header to the feederhouse.
The prior art illustrates these drawbacks. U.S. Pat. No. 5,768,868 illustrates an attachment for a grain harvester. Specifically, it illustrates an adjustment mechanism for a single offset auger shaft for the purpose of adjusting the position of the auger fingertips. However, there is no mechanism disclosed for adjusting the fingers independently of other fingers within the auger. U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,205 illustrates a guide assembly for disappearing fingers. This patent focuses on preventing auger fingers from detaching, entering and damaging the threshing system of a combine. It does not discuss the adjustment of the fingers to improve the crop flow. U.S. Pat. No. 4,539,801 illustrates a resilient feed auger attachment. This invention prevents crop material from entering and entangling the single offset auger shaft
A mechanism that would permit the independent adjustment of the auger fingers at the center of the header would represent an important improvement to a header of an agricultural combine.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a mechanism for adjusting the center auger fingers relative to the outer auger fingers on a header of an agricultural combine harvester.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a mechanism that improves the entry of crop into the feederhouse of an agricultural combine harvester.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a mechanism that improves the flow of crop through the header of an agricultural combine harvester.
The invention is an improvement to adjusting the auger fingers of a header on an agricultural combine. The invention allows the center auger fingers to be adjusted relative to the outer auger fingers. The mechanism is positioned between the outer finger shaft and center finger shaft within the transverse auger of a combine header. The mechanism has a center crank shaft attached to outer finger shaft. Affixed to the center crank is an outer shaft plate. The outer shaft plate has a series of radially placed adjustment holes. A center shaft plate is affixed to the center shaft. By adjusting the position of the outer shaft plate and securing it to the center shaft plate by the adjustment holes, the position of the center auger shaft to be adjusted relative to the outer auger shaft. Since the auger fingers are affixed to the shafts, the tips of these auger fingers may be adjusted relative to their respective location on the header.